St Chad’s Volunteer Programme

Co-ordinator: Michael Carding Dir. of World Mission: Revd Philip Swan 10, Mayfield Park, c/o St Peter’s House, 4, Exchange Street, . SY2 6PD. Wolverhampton. WV1 1TS 01743 369325 07857 703303 [email protected] [email protected] January 2017 Dear Friends,

NEW YEAR GREETINGS FROM ST CHAD’S VOLUNTEER PROGRAMME

2016 was a really busy and exciting year for SCVP! This is one reason why you did not receive the traditional newsletter before Christmas. It is my job to write and send the annual newsletter so I better start with an apology and an introduction.

My name is Michael Carding and I took over from Wendy Ford as coordinator of the programme on Easter Day. Reading Wendy’s sign off letter, dated November 2015, I realise that she did not get her wish of “Enough!” quite as soon as she hoped. She stayed on for another few months, had all the records and systems in excellent order (including past copies of the annual newsletter) and helped me a great deal during the handover. This completed more than a decade of faithful service and all at SCVP say a big THANKS to Wendy and wish her well.

So, to the busy year:

JANUARY : We welcomed KWOGE Phillip Moleme, our first ever volunteer from Matlosane in South Africa to work at All Saints, Streetly and CHRISTINE Ch’ng from West Malaysia to work at Aldridge Church.

FEBRUARY : Five delegates from Lichfield undertook a trip to West Malaysia to explore the potential of partnership and in particular SCVP. Their visit coincided with the installation of Bishop Moon Hing as Archbishop of South East Asia and the five from Lichfield were able to join Bishop Mark to represent Lichfield at the celebrations.

MARCH : Michael Carding took over from Wendy Ford as coordinator of SCVP.

APRIL : ANDREW Soon arrived from West Malaysia to start his placement in the Central Telford team. Together with JELENA Karsten from Nordkirche in Northern Germany, who joined the parish of St Peter’s Forsbrook in September 2015, this completed a team of four overseas volunteers in Lichfield. They charmed and added value to the clergy conference at Swanwick.

MAY : Meanwhile two Lichfield volunteers returned home after memorable overseas experiences. SARAH Partington from Wolverhampton Pioneer Ministries had been in Nordkirche

Above: Our four volunteers at the Clergy Conference, Swanwick Kgowe, Jelena, Christine, Philip Swan and Andrew Right: Christine and Andrew at Shrewsbury for six months while Jeremy Dillon from All Saints Wellington had been placed in Vietnam as part of an outreach programme teaching English in a missional context organised by the of Singapore.

JUNE : Here in the UK we voted to leave the European Union. In the we pledged ourselves to continue strengthening our partnerships with overseas . Our four volunteers spent a week leading much appreciated workshops at the Inspire event at Lichfield Cathedral.

JULY : Philip Swan started his three month sabbatical.

AUGUST : More change for SCVP: Clare Spooner left her job as Philip’s PA to take up another role in the Diocese. Like Wendy, she has given tremendous service to the cause over a long time and we are all extremely grateful to her. The good news is that she will continue to process some of the technicalities involved in the placements (i.e. all UKVI matters). During the summer Kgowe, Jelena and Christine all returned home after wonderful experiences as St Chad’s Volunteers.

SEPTEMBER : More change in the diocese! There were many overseas visitors at The Rt Rev’d Michael Ipgrave’s installation as 99th including a Bishop from every continent. Bishop Steve Diseko from Matlosane, Bishop Rob Hardwick from Qu’Appelle, Bishop Gothard Magaard from Nordkirche, Bishop Charles Samuel from West Malaysia, Bishop Kuan Kim Seng from Singapore and Bishop Melter Tais from Sabah all attended and played an active part.

OCTOBER : Susanna Somerville started in her role as PA to Philip Swan just as we began to receive applications from Germany, Canada and West Malaysia for the programme in 2017.

NOVEMBER : Six friends from Nordkirche visited Lichfield for Anticipating Advent. There was a day conference in Shrewsbury on “Reconciliation”, addressed by Bishop Michael, a visit to “Sanctus”, a project to support migrants in Stoke-on-Trent, and a grand finale at the Advent candlelight carol service in the cathedral.

Bishops of Matlosane, Singapore, Sabah, West Malaysia, Qu’Appelle Andrew Soon with Michael Ipgrave and Nordkirche in the parade at Bishop Michael’s Installation just after his installation

DECEMBER : Arrangements were agreed for the placement of Abigail Liew from West Malaysia who will arrive on St Valentine’s Day to work at Trinity Churches in Meole Brace, Shrewsbury. After a year of great change and activity we drew a deep breath, admitted we had missed the deadline for the annual newsletter and celebrated the birth of our saviour!

So there we are. I could add much more detail and will find a way to do so in the coming months. We are looking at the way we communicate with all our friends and supporters on this amazing programme. Is a 12-page traditional newsletter appropriate or should we be moving further towards electronic communication and using social media? If you have views on this we value them: please let us know.

The St Chad’s Trust is in good shape and has recruited two new trustees: David Cundill and Hilary Phillips. We have Abbi arriving in February and other volunteers applying as I write plus a couple from Wolverhampton hoping to serve on behalf of the diocese of Singapore in Indonesia. We are aware that information about these opportunities is not as widespread as it ought to be in our diocese and are working with David Cundill (who has a diocesan brief for youth and young adults) to improve in this respect. You can help us by spreading the word about SCVP whenever possible.

For now, on behalf of all involved with SCVP, I thank you for your support to date, promise that we will continue to keep you informed about activity in the future, and wish you every blessing for the coming year.

Michael Carding, Susanna Somerville & Philip Swan